Over
the years, I've worked with enough clients to know that, sooner or later, most
of them will utter a phrase I've learned to anticipate: "I'll get back to
my workouts as soon as I can." The
Excuse Enemy (I refer to as E²) is something we’ve
all used at one time or another. “I’ll get back to exercise as soon as: the weather gets better…I buy some new
workout clothes…the snow melts…I buy better shoes… I get new music…”
Unfortunately,
"as soon as" often turns into "never," as we wait for the
perfect time to exercise. Instead of waiting for conditions to be perfect, why
not start now?
When
it comes to exercise, you may have good reasons why you're not doing it.
You're busy,
confused about how to
start or maybe you even have fears that
keep you from even trying. These reasons, however, often become excuses to
avoid the more uncomfortable aspects of exercise. Below discusses some common
issues that may encourage your E² as well as some ideas
to help you combat it!
Excuse: I'll exercise as
soon as I'm in better shape. Some of us put off exercise for fear of
discovering (or exposing to others) how out of shape we really are. What if you
can't walk very far or you can only lift small weights? Some of us would rather
not exercise at all than to face how far we are from the fit person we want to
be.
You
tell yourself you'll join a gym as soon as you're in better shape but, to get
in shape, you may need to join a gym ... which you can't do until you're in
better shape. That kind of circular thinking can keep you off exercise forever.
Solution: Start where you
are. As adults, we put pressure on ourselves to be good at everything,
especially exercise. But just because you jumped rope 20 years ago or ran a
mile once doesn't mean you can do the same things right now. If you haven't
exercised in a while, you'll need time to build strength, endurance and
confidence. Taking your time will keep you injury free and make you feel more
successful! If you have joined a gym and you’re concerned about what classes
are appropriate for your current level, talk with a trainer for some guidance.
This will ensure that your first experience doesn’t allow E²
to come out in full force!
